


The Sound of Ice

by notapropergeek



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/M, Post-Season/Series 06, R plus L equals J, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-24 08:03:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8364346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notapropergeek/pseuds/notapropergeek
Summary: While Jon, Sansa and the rest of the North prepare for the upcoming War with the White Walkers, the Wall falls.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Game of Throne characters, that honor goes to George R. Martin and probably HBO. I'm just playing in playing in the sand box so do not sue. 
> 
> This is is my first ever piece of GOT fan fiction so I am nervous. All comments are welcome, critiques are fine, but please be respectful. I have been itching to write a Jon and Sansa story, but was having a hard time coming up with a concept until now. So many supposed "leaks" and spoilers got my mind working this week and this idea formed. Anyway I hope everybody who reads this story, enjoys it. 
> 
> *takes a deep breath* Here we go.

She stands there and remembers.

She will never forget it. The sound of ice cracking, breaking, popping and finally crashing. She has heard ice crack in the past, living in the North you get use to the sound, but never that _loudly_. She felt the rumble beneath her feet and then heard the first crack, even all the way in Winterfell she heard it. The sound of the Wall falling. 

Sansa runs out of her chambers wrapping her robe around herself. The hallways are crowded with people asking her what that was that and are they safe? 

“Everybody please keep calm . I will address everybody shortly. In the meantime please go back to your rooms.” She repeats herself over and over again while trying to get to the Great Hall. Once she arrives she notices most of her bannermen have already arrived. She finds Tormund right away. His expression dark. 

He looks directly at her and says “The Wall”.

She nods her head in agreement. Arya arrives with Bran, wheeling him in a chair designed by one of the carpenters. 

“Is it...?”

“Yes, the Wall has fallen.”

Saying it out loud causes the whole room to get quiet. 

“Milady you cannot mean that?” Lord Royce explains. “ The Wall is hundreds of feet tall, made of solid ice and as stood for thousands of years.”

“Yes and now it is gone.”

Many of the bannermen shake their heads in disbelief. “We need to send riders to check to be sure.”

“No we are not sending any of our men to certain death.” Sansa explains. “We knew this was a possibility, my brother Bran has explained to you the danger that is coming. Your King before going South to obtain weapons to defeat the Whites told you of the danger. It was just a lot sooner than we hoped.” Sansa looks at every man standing in the hall directly in the eyes. “I have no idea what we are facing, I have never even seen a White Walker, most have not, but they are not the childhood stories that were told to us when we were younger, they are real and we need to fight for our lives and the lives of all those who live in the North, Winter is here, but it will not defeat us.” 

All the men stood silent, but agreed.

“Now prepare your men as planned. Send riders and ravens to you homes and lands letting those know what has happened. Make sure your people are ready.” They all nod and leave. 

She turns to Tormund “Have the lands been prepared?” 

“Aye, they are ready?” They will grow back and hopefully we will be here to see it she thinks. “Inform the towers to light the beacons.” He nods and leaves.

She noticed Bran’s expression. He looks distant and thoughtful. He eyes look ancient. It is still hard for her to reconcile the grown man she sees now to her little brother who could never sit still. She looks at Arya and remembers the girl who just wanted to be a Knight and now, well she is far from that. We all have changed so much. She walks over to them. 

“Bran what is wrong?”

“It is my fault the Wall has fallen.”

“Bran it is not..”

“No, listen if I hadn’t let the Night King touch me he wouldn’t have found my location. If Meera and I had not gone to Castle Black to escape, to come home, the power that holds the Wall would have not have weakened. I am the reason it has fallen.”

“Bran this is not your fault. The Night King has been moving North for months, maybe years. Remember what Jon told us about Mance Rayder, Hardhome, and the other Lord Commanders of the Night’s Watch. They have known about the Whites for years. The Night King was going to come no matter what.”

“Have you heard from Jon?” Arya asked

“No, not since the last message saying he landed in Dragonstone and would be meeting the Dragon Queen shortly.”

“That was over seven days ago! What are they doing?! What in the Seven Hells is taking so long? This Daenerys Targaryen must realize that she won’t have much of a kingdom to rule if it is full of White Walkers.”

“Negotiations take time.”

“Time?! We don’t have time! They are practically at our gates!”

“Arya lower your voice.” Sansa whispers

Sansa looks around the hall it is mostly empty, but there are some members of some houses that are lingering. She turns back to her family. 

“What we know is that the Dragon Queen most likely knew nothing of the Whites. It may take time to convince her of the reality and the fact is that we need her army and her dragons.”

“ I need to go to the Heart Tree. I need to see what is going on out there.” Bran says

“Arya can you please take Bran to the Godswood and then you and Brienne make sure we have secured the outer walls and the main gates.”

“What are you going to do?”  
“I’m going to send Jon a message telling him of the Wall.”

She walks back to her rooms. Closes the door, leans against it, closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Arya’s words still ringing in her ears. What is taking so long? She takes a piece of paper and writes a quick message. 

_The Wall has fallen, there is no more time. We will hold has long as we can. Come home._

Jon has been gone for over a month. He last letter was over seven days ago. He would have met her by now. Yet no message on how the negotiations were going, if they were happening at all. Is he dead? Did the Dragon Queen have him and the rest of the party killed? No, she would know. In her heart she would know. Yet her heart knows something is wrong. She felt it at the same time she heard the Wall fall. She felt it during the first crack. 

“Jon what are you doing?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Game of Throne characters, that honor goes to George R. Martin and probably HBO. I'm just playing in the sand box so do not sue.

She turns her head towards the window and remembers.

 

She has been lying in bed trying to get some sleep, but none came. She looks out the windows and notices the ice sickles quietly forming, its getting colder she thinks. It's been days since the Wall fell and nothing. Nothing from further North or from the South. Nothing but the sound of winter and it is maddening. Not sure when death is coming, but just knowing that it is, can drive a person mad.

Sansa gets out of bed and starts to change into her clothes, not waiting for her ladies maid. She is tired of waiting. Waiting and wondering where the Night King’s Army is, waiting and wondering where Jon is, she has had enough of waiting. She braids her hair into a single braid quickly, the dress she wears is plain there is no need for fancy dresses these days. Since the Wall fell the people of Winterfell have been preparing. Notifying the rest of the North, moving the people of Wintertown and the surrounding areas into the walls of Winterfell and fortifying the castle has been no easy task and all the people in Winterfell have lent a hand no matter their station or position they know this is no time for such things right now. She opens her door and sees Brienne waiting. She looks tired, we all look tired she thinks.

“Milady.”

“Brienne good morning, did you get some rest?”

“As much as you did Milady.”

Sansa gives a small smile. She notice Brienne’s hesitation. “Is everything alright?”

“May I speak freely?”

“Always you know that.” 

Brienne walks in and closes the door. “It is about the King.”

“Has there been a raven, has news arrived?

“No Milady.”

Sansa takes a step back, a deep breath and regains her composure. Brienne notices, but does not comment. “What about the King?”

“Milady we haven’t heard from him in days and the people are growing concerned. There have been rumblings.”

“What kind of rumblings?”

“Foolish talk mostly, but since the Wall fell people are nervous and scared and rightfully so. They just need some reassurances that is all.”

She understands what Brienne is saying, because she needs some reassurances too. She trusts Jon. Jon is Jon. When the raven came from this Daenerys Targaryen she, Jon and the small council came up with a plan. Jon and Davos would go meet this Dragon Queen while the rest of them stayed and fortified Winterfell and the surrounding areas the best they could. While she did not want Jon to go he was the best person to explain the situation since he had first hand experience with the Night King and his army. He was also King In the North and a King coming himself to explain a situation to a potential ally is something one does not turn away from. However the King has been gone for weeks with barely a word and with Winter being here, the days becoming shorter and darker and with the Wall falling she can understand why they would be concerned. She herself is worried. The feeling in her heart growing colder. It's been to long she thinks. To long since she has seen him. “I understand..” shouts from the courtyard interrupt her. 

Somebody knocks on her chamber’s door. Brienne opens the door to reveal Podrick. “Milady excuse the interruption, but the guards have spotted a group of people coming towards the North Gate towards Winterfell.” 

“People? Do we know who they are?”

“One of the scouts intercepted a group, they say they are from the Gift.”

“The Gift! That is nearest to Castle Black and the Wall. They may have evacuated to escape the White Walkers.” Brienne says

“Podrick inform the Maester that we may need his services. Brienne coordinate with the other guards, make sure they are aware that other groups may arrive and to keep on the lookout. “

“Lady Sansa where will you be?”

“ My sister, brother and I will be welcoming our guests to Winterfell. It seems like they maybe staying a while.”

**The Next Day**

“How many? I lost count.”

“A little over 200.”

“200!” Arya explains “And probably more to come.” she sighs

She and Sansa are laying on top of Sansa’s bed utterly exhausted. They and the rest of the castle have been welcoming the people from the Gift mostly women and children of all ages. A lot of men stayed behind to give time for the their loved ones to get to safety and to protect their homes. The beacons set on top of the towers guided the people here. “Do we have enough food?”

“For now, but we will need to start moving some of these families further south before it's too late.”

Arya nods. She looks at Sansa, her eyes closed, her braid coming undone, her dress while neat and clean, was not the most fashionable. Old Sansa would have been mortified if she saw herself in her current state, but she is no longer old Sansa. No that Sansa was beaten and tortured out of her. New Sansa is now made of steel, some would say ice and would do anything to protect her home, her family. She worries about her, she worries that with all she has done to survive, all that she continues to do will cause her heart to close off, that she will build a wall as tall as the one that fell, so she wouldn't feel to much. Between the Lannisters, the events in the Vale, and the Boltons Arya is sure Sansa has felt more than most people have in their lifetime and almost all of it would have killed a lesser person. Not that Arya blames her, she understands pain, but her experiences, her training has caused her to process things differently. 

She remembers the last time that Sansa broke into a smile, a genuine smile, not one of those smiles that she perfected over the years to protect herself from the monsters. It was the day Jon and his small party left to meet with the Dragon Queen. He said something to her, tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and kissed her on her forehead. She smiled a smile Arya hadn’t seen in a long time and nodded. Though she didn’t hear the entire conversation Arya did hear her tell Jon to come home. That was weeks ago, Jon where are you? What are you doing? Arya feels a shift in the bed. 

“What are you doing?”

“ I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

“Jon.” Ara notices a slight tremor in Sansa’s face, barely noticeable. Most people would not have seen it, but she is not most people. “Let me go find him.”

“No.”

“It has been weeks! People are starting to talk. The last message was..”

“I know when the message was!” Sansa looks at her sister and gets up. “I need you here. The White Walkers will be here soon and your expertise is needed here. We must protect our home.”

“ Jon may need help. Him and the rest of the party may need help.”

Sansa looks at her sister and slumps down into a chair. “ He is not dead, I would know it.” she whispers 

Arya moves to Sansa and takes her hand. “ Then let me go find him. I can leave tomorrow, I will move quickly. I will send you a message every other day giving you updates. Also while traveling I can get a sense of how the South is dealing with the Wall falling and the upcoming threat if at all. Southerners tend to bury their heads in the amount of coin they have instead of seeing what is really happening in front of them.”

Sansa looks at Arya and Arya could tell she is thinking of various scenarios in her head. Thinking of all the possible outcomes. “I need to think.”

“Sansa!”

“I will give you my answer in the morning. The Wall has fallen, people are rushing to Winterfell for safety because the Night King’s Army has taken over their homes and is coming this way. We need every able body who can fight at Winterfell, because if Winterfell falls, the rest of the North follows.” Sansa gets up from her chair leaving Arya contemplating her words. “I will give you my answer in the morning I promise.” She gets her cloak and puts it on.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to go think.”

 

Sansa sits in the Godswood and thinks. It is the only quiet place there is to do so. She thinks about the people and the stories they told of running away in fear, their descriptions of the White Walkers, of the Army of the Dead. She thinks of Arya and her words. She thinks of Jon and every single moment they have had to together since they reunited in Castle Black. She thinks if they are going to have anymore. _Jon_

She hears crunching of snow, footsteps, somebody is coming. She thought everybody was in the Great Hall. It has become a gathering place at night as the nights have started getting colder. She hears the crunching again, but cannot see anybody, she also hears cracking. 

“Who goes there?” No answer. Sansa begins to move quickly toward the Hall and stops when she sees him, a little boy, standing in front of her, she smiles. “Hello. Are you lost?” No answer. “Is my brother scaring you and the others with old stories? I really do need to tell him to stop. Let us go tell him together.” She moves toward the boy her hand reaching for his and stops. Getting a better view of the boy Sansa realizes the cracking wasn’t from snow or ice it was from bone. 

Sansa thinks that the boy at one time must been no more than eight when he died. He still has his hair, but she can see his bones and the knife he is holding. She hears cracking and crunching behind her and knows there is another. She realizes she cannot go back further into the Godswood her only hope is to move forward toward the entrance. She is close to the torches that line the path to the Heart Tree so she steps to the side. They do nothing. They are waiting for her to make another move. Then she hears it, a low growl, she comes to a realization and makes her move. She grabs the torch, at the same time a blur of white passes her side, the boy moves towards her, she touches the torch to his chest and runs. She turns her head and sees Ghost tearing the other wight to pieces. Then she sees it, marching from the Heart Tree. It’s hair white and its eyes the most bluest of blue that she has ever seen and she screams. 

She then collides with something solid and is about to scream again when she feels a warm arm come around her and say “Sansa get behind me.”

Before she can register the voice he moves her behind him. 

“Get her out of here!” He shouts to Brienne, Tormund and the others who come through the entrance.

Sansa feels hands moving her, but all she sees his him. “Jon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes he is back.
> 
> I just want to thank everybody who has read the story, who have left comments and/or kudos, you have no idea how much that means to me. It is greatly appreciated. Please continue to leave comments, critiques are fine, but please be respectful.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Game of Throne characters, that honor goes to George R. Martin and probably HBO. I'm just playing in the sand box so do not sue.
> 
> A big THANK YOU for all the comments and the kudos it means a lot.

She hears snow crushing, voices shouting and ice shattering while being moved. 

Inside the Great Hall there is nothing but silence. Mothers holding their children, children so sacred even though they are red faced they remain silent. Brienne and some soldiers are each guarding one of the entrances with swords at the ready. Moments pass without a sound. Suddenly there is a knock at the main door and they open to reveal Jon and the others. Sansa releases the breath that she did not even know she was holding. She is standing on the raised platform and he goes directly to her, places his hands on her face then moves them to her shoulders and looks her over making sure she is not injured. 

“I’m fine. They didn’t hurt me.” She gives him small smile. “Your home.”

The look in his eyes goes from relief, to joy, to something else. Sansa’s smile disappears. “Jon what is..” before she can finish a loud bang is heard behind her and before she knows it she is behind Jon once again and Longclaw is unsheathed. Arya appears with some of the other guards. Jon visibly relaxes and puts down his sword. 

“Sorry. We checked the North Gate and there seems to be no other visitors.” Arya puts down Needle and gives Jon a hug. ‘About time you came back. What took you so long?” Sansa still behind Jon notices his posture stiffen, like he is preparing himself for something. She cannot see his face, but she can see Arya’s and she looks confused, she senses something too. Before she can ask what is wrong Tormund and some the Wildings enter the hall. 

Jon turns toward them and realizes that there are hundreds of eyes staring at him. He is after all their King and it has been a while since they have heard from him. Sansa realized he isn’t prepared to speak, but he has to. She steps away from him, so his subjects can get a better view of their King and as a signal for him to speak. He quickly looks at her and then back at the crowd. 

“The threat has passed for now, but listen and pass this along to those not here. As many of you know I went South to secure allies for the war against the Army of the Dead. I am glad to say that the trip was successful. Daenerys…” Jon pauses then quickly continues. “The Dragon Queen has decided to join the fight and as I speak her army is marching North while some have already arrived.” The crowd erupts in a combination of cheers and questions.

“How many soldiers?”  
“Are the dragons coming?”  
“Do you need more men to fight?”

“What about what happened tonight?” That question comes from Arya standing behind Jon. Her question not heard by the crowd, but only those on the platform. “Sansa was almost killed.” Sansa noticed Jon’s posture slightly change acknowledging he heard Arya. 

Jon raises his hand for silence. “I understand that everybody has questions, but know that we are doing everything to protect the North. Winter is here and we must stand together and fight it. For tonight know that Winterfell is secure, but remember we must rely on each other for the continue safety of Winterfell and the rest of the North. Now please go and try to get some rest, we will need all our strength for the upcoming days.” The crowd seeming sedated for now begins to leave. Even though Sansa can see some still have questions. As does she. 

Davos appears from the man door. Where has he been? thinks Sansa. 

“You did answer my question?” Arya states “What about the attack tonight?” 

Before Jon can answer Tormund speaks. “It was a scouting party?”

“A scouting party?!”

“Aye before the King here addressed his subjects I was about to tell him the rest of the castle and the surrounding area is clear. It seems the Night King might have wanted to see what is ahead for him and his army. Which means he will be here soon.”

“Well he will know that something is waiting for him when the White Walker doesn’t return.”

While the others talk Sansa quietly observes and what she observes makes the worry in her heart grow colder. She notices Davos swaying back and forth unable to keep still. He is nervous, unable to look at her and keeps looking at the main door. Who is he expecting? She looks at Arya and notices her stance has changed, she is ready to strike, but at what? She notices how Tormund looks between Davos and Jon like he wants to say something. Tormund doesn't usually hold his tongue, why now? Brienne’s eyes travel to each of the men and the frown on her face deepens. She thinks it is not because of the events of tonight or the Night King. 

When her eyes travel to Jon she is surprised to see him looking directly at her and what she sees in his eyes is nothing but guilt. His right hand trembles. She cannot remember a time when she has ever seen him tremble. Not at Castle Black where it was so cold no matter how many furs you slept with you still felt the ice in your veins. Not during the battle with Ramsey when they were nearly defeated. No, not ever. Sansa thinks back to Jon’s speech moments ago. _Some have already arrived. Daenerys._ He used the Dragon Queen’s first name so easily before quickly changing it to what the Northern’s have been calling her. She notices Davos nervously eyeing the both of them and now she understands. Sansa’s eyes widen at Jon and she abruptly turns around and starts walking out of the hall. She let herself slip earlier, she was to busy _looking_ at Jon instead of _paying attention_ to Jon. She hears Jon her call name, but she keeps walking. As she crosses Winterfell she feels the worry in her heart turn to something else and she pushes it down, now is not the time for such feelings or thoughts. She hears Jon calling her again as she pulls her hood over her head to protect her from the winter wind while she walks up the stairs to the second level, when she reaches the top she turns, walks over to the edge and looks over the wall towards the Kings Road. There she sees torches lined up outlining tents and horses. She cannot see any men, but considering the small amount of tents she can see, she suspects the party is small for now.

“I wanted to tell you before the others” he says from behind. 

“Why? Tormund and others obviously saw them earlier while securing the castle. So that plan failed.”

“Sansa please..” the rest of his words lost in the wind.

Sansa closes her eyes, straighten her back, and summons all the skills she has learned all these years. She turns around and faces Jon. Her face a mask. “I have questions I would like answered. You have been gone for _weeks_ without a word, while we have been here struggling to prepare for a war against an enemy that can raise the dead. Why haven’t you written? Why haven’t you kept us informed? Your last message was that you were going to meet with the Dragon Queen. I...we were worried.” 

A flash of something passes through Jon’s face, guilt and something more, but at the moment she does no care to understand it. Sansa while talking has walked towards him and his standing in front of him. The wind around them whipping through their hair and cloaks.

“From the party I see outside the gates and your speech earlier it seems that it went well, but why didn’t you send a raven with some news and to inform us that were are going to have even more guests?” 

“Sansa they are not here to …”

“The Wall _fell_ ” Sansa interrupts with a whisper. “Castle Black, the Night’s Watch, your brothers are gone.”

Jon closes his eyes as his head falls to his chest. When he raises his head she can see the sadness and once again guilt in his eyes, but instead of giving him some time to mourn she continues. 

“ I sent you a raven on the night it happened and again you gave no response. Since then hundreds from the Gift running from the Night King and his army have come to Winterfell for safety. We have been making sure they are warm, fed, and have a place to put their heads at night. While at the same time making sure we have enough food for the Winter and making sure Winterfell and the rest of the North is secure. So I ask you my King, “Why haven’t you responded? Where have you been? What have you been doing?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Game of Throne characters, that honor goes to George R. Martin and probably HBO. I'm just playing in playing in the sand box so do not sue.
> 
> Once again thank you to all who have been reading. Thank you for the comments and kudos. I hope you continue to enjoy the ride.

The wind is whipping harder around them, but neither of them move. While waiting for Jon to respond Sansa’s eyes travel. He is wearing the armor that she had made for him and remembers.

 _“I like the wolf bit.”_  
_Sansa smiles “I know.”_  
_“It’s black.”_  
_“I always thought you looked good in black.”_

Bringing herself back to the present she notices the armor is dented in places. As her eyes travel upwards to his neck and face she notices cuts and some bruising. They are not fresh, not created today, but they are recent. Some will be gone in a few days, others will take a while longer and one she thinks is so deep that it will surely leave a scar. She knows all about cuts and bruises and how long they last. He has been in a fight, a battle maybe. What has he been doing?

The questions reminds her of why she standing in the cold and the darkness as her eyes move upward meeting his again. She is waiting for answers.

Jon’s hands come around her shoulders and pulls up her hood that had been pulled down by the wind. While doing so he leans into her and notices her face impassive, not a twitch or a flicker. _She has her own armor on now_ he thinks. He knows he is the reason for and that knowledge twists his insides. He also knows what comes next will not only cause unrest among the North, but among his family and most importantly what it will do to Sansa. Hurting her, her reaction he knows will hurt him worse than any physical scar he carries. He looks into her eyes, she had enough scars he thinks. He desperately did not want to add another one. He takes a step back “Let us go inside.”

“No.”

“ Sansa I am not having this conversation out in this weather where I have to yell to be heard. I do not need the whole castle to hear our conversation. They will talk.”

“They are already talking” she yells as the winds whips loudly around them.

He sighs “Sansa..please.”

She stands there wanting answers, yet at the same time acknowledges that even though Winterfell is a safe haven for many, the many have ears. It would do no good for moral if people heard the King in the North and the Lady of Winterfell yelling at each other. 

She nods.

He closes his eyes in relief and then slightly bows to her to go first. 

She quickly walks past him without a glance and starts downstairs, thinking what would be the best place away from prying eyes or ears. She doesn’t bother turning around she knows he is behind her, he knows not to ask where they are going, he trusts her. 

As they cross the main entrance Sansa thinks back to the day he left. 

_She watches as the small party gets ready. She was trying to stay calm, her face showing no apprehension, but her eyes betrayed her. Jon came up to her and gave her a small smile._  
_“You are in charge now. Just like you wanted.”_  
_“This is not what I wanted.”_  
_“I know.” He moves closer to her. “You are the best person to handle the North and prepare it for Winter. You are the best person to handle anything.”_  
_She briefly places a hand on the two direwolves adorning Jon’s armour before quickly pulling back. He tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear. He knows she is worried, so is he ._  
_“I will send a raven once I arrive at Dragonstone and once I return let us get the cook to make us those pies with the peas and onions.”_  
_He kisses her forehead and she smiles at him while quickly wiping tears away before anyone sees. Taking a deep breath she controls herself._  
_“Be safe, know your surrounds, the South is full of snakes, listen to Davos, and your instincts. Come home quickly.” He nods and gives her a smile before turning to the others._

A fierce wind so strong it actually howls through the courtyard brings Sansa back to the present. In order to protect her face she turns it to the side and notices Jon staring at her intently. Is he remembering too? She continues to walk until they finally get to their destination. 

As Sansa enters the Glass Garden she is hit by a wave of heat. Winter may be upon them, but because of the hot springs situated throughout Winterfell her home is a source of warmth against the cold of winter not only for herself, but now for a great many people of the North. She knows that many throughout the day like to walk around the Garden not only for warmth, but to embrace the beauty of the greenery inside. She also knows that at this time of night no one comes to the Garden preferring to stay inside the castle under furs.

She hears the click behind her. _No one can protect me, no can protect anyone_ she thinks. Sansa once again straightens her back, pulls down her hood and turns around her face betraying nothing.

Jon looks at her and thinks _I have failed_. He knows what comes next will fracture their relationship if not destroy it. With trying to protect the North, I failed her. At this moment he wishes the Red Woman never brought him back. 

Sansa shifts, she is waiting.

Jon looks at all the beauty surrounding them she belongs here, not out there fighting to live, to survive. We should have never have left Winterfell in the first place he thinks for the hundredth time. He closes his eyes for a second, then looks at her and begins.

“Davos and I arrive at Dragonstone and was greeted by the Queen’s Hand Tyrion Lannister...” he tells her about the Dragon Queen, seeing Theon Greyjoy again and not killing him because of her, his decision to go deep into the North to capture a Wight in order to prove to all the leaders of Westeros that the White Walkers exist and that the Night King is coming so they can unite as one and fight the real enemy. He tells her of Cersei’s betrayal, she slightly nods her head when hearing about this, she knew Cersei would do such a thing to weaken her enemies. He tells her about the Dragons and the connection he felt to them. He tells her of seeing one of the Dragon’s fall to the Night King. 

During him remembering all the events that has happened to him since he left Sansa does not move and has barely any reaction, she just stands there and listens. She listens and hears his anger when meeting Theon again and Cersei’s betrayal to the alliance, the sadness when hearing upon losing men during the mission to capture a Wight and the awe and reverence when he talks about the Dragons. She listens and waits because she knows there is more. She knows he is holding back and that causes the worry in her heart to grow colder.

“Danerys. You called her Danerys” she says. She listened and saw his movements when he spoke about the Dragon Queen. She pushes down any feeling she has in her heart and waits. 

Jon continues to look at her, his eyes a mixture of so many emotions, he hesitates, looks around at his surroundings thinks of the beauty around them and in front of him. He knows there is no holding back, she deserves to know everything. She deserves to have everything she wants, every happiness he thinks and wishes he can give them to her. 

“The Queen...Danerys and I...have grown close” he whispers. Sansa grows still. “She asked me to bend the knee and at first I said no. Then she saved me with one of her dragons during the battle with the Wights and with the events that happened with the Cersei I realized that in order for all of us to have a chance to survive we need her army so...I bended the knee.”

Sansa sucks in her breath and her eyes speak volumes, but she waits and listens knowing there is more. 

“ I did it in private, nobody knows that I have bended the knee….I feel a familiarity with her....when one of her dragon’s fell....we slept with each other.” 

While talking Jon never stops looking at Sansa, he notices the more he speaks the stillness in her grows, her face shows no emotions, but her eyes speak of the hurt, the anger, the disbelief and betrayal going through her as he speaks. He knows the pain he is causing especially in the end when he sees her lips slightly tremble right before she closes her eyes when he is finished. There is nothing but silence between them. All you hear is the howling of the wind outside. Jon wants to walk over to her, but knows he lost any right to touch her so he waits and the longer he waits the fear of what he has done to her and what his actions may do to the North grows. 

Sansa shifts, she opens her eyes and his heart sinks. 

“Sansa please..” 

**_Crack_**

Before Jon can say anything else the force of Sansa’s slap makes him take a step back. Sansa moved so fast he had no time to react except to place a hand on his already reddening cheek. 

“Sansa let…”

 **_Crack_**

This time Jon stumbles back not anticipating that Sansa would back slap him. He looks at her and sees her holding her hand, her body ready for any type of attack and her eyes a blaze. _The wolf is out now_ he thinks. 

“You slept....” she stops herself and what happens next Jon had hoped to never see directed at him. The blaze in her eyes dies and it is replaced with nothing but ice. He arms become limp at her side and when she moves closer to him her face shows little to no emotion. All her lessons she learned from Kings Landings to Ramsey’s torture are now being used and Jon would rather have been hit a thousand times by her instead of seeing this transformation happen before his eyes. 

“You bent the knee to the Dragon Queen” she whispers. “We cannot afford a war among ourselves right now. We are united against the White Walkers, houses that have been squabbling for years have put aside their differences to fight against the Night King. Northerns have been helping one another. You would have seen it yourself if you were here. The North has finally united as one and we cannot let that crumble because _you bent the knee_.” She takes a deep breath and continues “ We both know not all of the North will bend the knee no matter what their King commands and that will cause problems that are not needed especially with the Night King and his army coming.”

Jon contemplates her words and knowing how some of the Northern houses feel about him even though he is their King nods his head in agreement.

“You said you bent the knee in private. I’m assuming that was to save face among our soldiers among other things. Then may I suggest that this piece of information stay quiet. Speak to _your_ Queen and explain the situation, make her and her advisors understand and the consequences will have to be dealt with later. I will speak to Tyrion personally if that will help, but as evidenced tonight the Night King is near and we need alliances, not an internal war.”

Jon looks at Sansa, aside from some occasional phrases she uses, she is nothing but steel. _I created this_ he thinks with sadness. He knows she is waiting for an answer and even though he knows Danerys will not be pleased he believes that he along with Tyrion and Jorah Mormont can convince her to not demand the North to kneel once she arrives. He nods to Sansa and she releases the breath she was holding. She takes a step from Jon. She checks her gloves, adjusts her cloak and begins to pull up her hood.

“She cannot stay in the castle.”

“Sansa.” he sighs.

“We have no room. You have just arrived tonight, but we have well over 300 Northerns inside the castle and that is not including all the bannerman and their people, as well as our family and staff. Every room is filled with those who have escaped the White Walkers. I am the Lady of Winterfell and I will not push those who have lost everything to the side so your Queen and her party who are more than capable of taking care of themselves can have a place to put their heads. From what I heard the Dragon Queen is compassionate, if that is the true she will understand why we cannot accommodate her or her people. My concern is for Winterfell and the people of the North and it should be yours as well.”

“It is! Everything I have done has been for the North” he states with a little more bite than he intended. With everything that has happened to him for her to question his loyalty to the North hurt. 

“You bent the knee” she whispers and then walks past him. She pulls up her hood and walks out of the Glass Garden not bothering to bow or ask for permission to leave. _I am no longer her King_ he thinks. 

He remembers the smile she gave him when her returned and in a space of a few hours how that has all changed. He slides his hand over his face and thinks What have I done?


	5. Chapter 5

She moves quickly from the Garden into the castle not wanting to stay out in the in the wind and the cold for long, but more importantly not wanting to see anybody. It would no good for anyone to see the Lady of Winterfell in her current state . Sansa can feel her mask starting to crumble so she walks faster and is grateful when she reaches her chambers. She closes the door and locks it. She presses her forehead to the door and finally lets go. It starts within her chest, where her heart is, she begins to shake and within seconds she lets out a great sob and slides down the door her whole body shaking, her sobs uncontrollable. 

“You stupid stupid girl” she says to herself while crying. She sits on the floor tears falling, body shaking. There is no such thing as gentle knights for somebody like her she thinks. She doesn't move and falls asleep on the floor her body and mind utterly exhausted. 

Arys stands next to her sister’s door and listens, she then turns and heads out to the grounds. The wind has blown away almost all traces of Sansa’s footsteps. Almost all. She follows the impressions in the shadows and realizes she is walking toward the Glass Garden. She hears the door to the Garden and steps further into the shadows, Jon come out looking a lot worse than he did a few hours ago when he fought the White Walker. His shoulders are slumped into defeat and his face looks like it aged a hundred years. She can’t see his eyes clearly, but she suspects she would see a great sadness in them. He looks up into the sky and lets out a shaky breath before he starts walking toward the castle. What would have taken Jon normally a few seconds to cross the grounds it is taking minutes. He is walking like he has iron in his boots she thinks. Arya’s face is starting to feel the cold, but she doesn’t move until she sees Jon no more. She steps out of the shadows and thinks back to everything she seen and heard tonight. 

“Seven Hells” she says. 

**The Next Morning**

The return of the King should have been a joyous affair and for many of the people currently in Winterfell it was, for many, but not all. Arya can sense the tension when she walked towards the high table in the Hall the next morning. She notices that Sansa and Brienne were not sitting at the high table. Sansa has never missed a meal with those staying in the castle. Every morning she would try to talk to each of them to make sure they had a comfortable night and to address any concerns they had. She notices Davos and Tormund whispering to each other while looking occasionally at the King. Bran looks concerned and guilty. For what? she thinks. When Arya’s eyes finally travels to Jon all she can think is that he looks worse than he did last night if that was even possible. Did he get any rest? she wonders. As she reaches the table she sits in her usual spot right next to Sansa, whose absence is all the more obvious now, she looks pointedly at Jon while her meal is being served. The question in her eyes is obvious _What have you done?_ The one she actually speaks is quite different.

“When does the Queen arrive?”

Jon eyes slide to the empty chair between them before answering. “Soon. I already informed the small party outside that we will be meeting them shortly to talk strategy.”

“They will be coming into the castle then?”

“Yes, just to talk they will be staying in their own camp.”

Arya nods knowing the castle can’t really hold any more guests. She notices Jon looking at Sansa’s empty chair and is about the ask the obvious question when she notices movement from the side and sees Sansa walking in with Brienne and Podrick behind. Her sister shows no signs of distress, her hair is perfectly braided, her dress perfectly fitted and her face showing no signs of fatigue except for the eyes, you can only do so much to hide circles and redness. Sansa places a hand behind her neck and grimaces. She slept on the floor Arya thinks. The thought brings a swell of anger up into her chest and she swivels to Jon “What have…”.

Arya is interrupted by a hand placed on her by Bran, his eyes speaking volumes. 

Not now.

Before Arya can say anything else Sansa arrives at the table and Jon rises.

“Your Grace” Sansa says never looking at Jon as she sits. She politely smiles at the others and begins to eat not waiting for Jon to sit back down. Jon closes his eyes for a second before taking his seat. He looks at her and tries to come up with something to say, but nothing passes his lips. 

The rest of the meal is eaten in silence. The tension is so high at the table Arya notices glances from other tables towards them. People are starting to notice she thinks. She looks at Sansa and knows she notices it too. 

Before anything could be done one of the servants comes running in with a scroll and hands it to the King. Jon notices the insignia and raises an eyebrow before opening the scroll. He reads it quickly and looks at Davos his face unreadable. 

“What is it?” Sansa asks

Jon turns to her, his eyes filled with regret and guilt. “The Dragon Queen will be here by this afternoon.”

Sansa just looks at him, her face shows nothing. She then nods her head and turns to the others. “As expected. We may be at war, but let us show the Dragon Queen that the North can still be gracious hosts.” Sansa then turns to one of the servants nearby and begins to give instructions. 

Arya looks between Jon and Sansa and says loud enough so only the table can hear. “Before we depart to prepare for this Daenerys Targaryen and her hordes arrival I would like to know something. What is going on?”

**A Few Minutes Later**

**_“You did what?!”_** Arya asks in the small council chambers. She is looking at Jon in disbelief. She starts shaking her head not believing. “ But you are the King in the North...why...what the hell happened over there?” Arya voice starts to grow louder. 

“Arya please let me..”

“Where the hell were you when this all happened?” Arya interrupts looking at Davos. “You were suppose to be with him the whole time.” 

Before Davos could respond Jon replies “I was alone with her when I bent the knee.”

“You were alone….what?!” Arya looks toward Sansa who has been facing one on the windows, her back to the group since they entered the chambers. Arya notices her stance, her back like pure steel. She looks at Bran who looks disappointed, but not surprised. You and I are going to have a conversation later little brother she thinks. She quickly turns back to Jon and thinks of their childhood adventures, him and Robb teaching her how to shoot arrows and to work a sword even though it was a very unlady like to do so. She remembers his present of Needle to her. She loves her brother deeply, but that does not mean she is above giving him a good kick from one end of the castle to the other. 

“Everybody leave” she says.

Tormund leaves immediately, knowing that this is a family matter and knows not to argue with the Lady Arya. She may be small, but he recognizes the wolf in her. 

Sansa moves her head to look at Arya. After a beat she nods and moves toward Bran. 

Bran knows there is no point in arguing with his sister so he allows Sasna to wheel him out. Jon looks at Bran before he goes and sees the pity in his eyes. 

Arya grabs Sansa’s hand before she leaves and they look at each other before Sansa gives it a squeeze, lets it go and wheels Bran away. Never looking at Jon as they leave. 

Davos looks at Jon who nods and he leaves. When the door finally shuts there is nothing but silence, each of them looking at each other from across the small table.

“What happened?” she asks.

Jon looks at her and remembers the small girl who use to follow him and Robb around, so much wanting to be a Knight. The look of adoration she would give him replaced now with disbelief, doubt and something hard. Jon is acutely aware that Arya is no longer that little girl and is quite capable of taking care of herself. She is capable of a lot of things now. We have all changed so much he thinks.

“I slept with her.”

Arya doesn’t even blink. “Tell me something that I haven’t already figured out.”

Jon just looks at her.

“What I want to know is why did you bend the knee? Or did you bend the knee at the same time time you were…”

“Arya!”

“Was it a two for one offer she gave you…”

“Arya!” 

In a blink she hurdles herself over the table and is inches from Jon.

“Why?”

“She has dragons, weapons we need and an army that will fight for her like no other. I have witnessed what she is capable of and I know that without her the war will be lost.” He explains about the wights, Cersei, what Danery’s Army including her dragons did to the Lannister’s forces and the fall of one of her dragons. His desperation to not only to protect the North, but all of Westeros. “I’ve seen what her dragons can do and I cannot let that happen the North.”

“Do you know what this will do to the North?”

“Sansa and I have agreed to keep this quiet for now, The North is unified against the White Walkers it would no good for an internal war to start when a greater one is upon us.”

“Sansa and I don’t agree on a lot of things politically, but this is the best choice. What about the Dragon Queen? Does she agree with this course of action?”

“I sent a raven late last night. Her reply earlier indicates she agrees for now.”

I am sure she was pleased Arya thinks knowing that the North would not bend to a Southern again, not with everything that has been lost over the years because of them. The North Remembers she thinks. 

Arya understands why Jon bent the knee. She has heard of what the Targaryen Dragons can do and even overheard some her men talking about them earlier when she went to visit their small camp. None of them realizing she was there of course. Even with the loss of one of the dragons they still seemed confident. Even though she did not stay long she got a sense who these men were and they were fighters who follow their Queen.

Yet even though Arya understands Jon thought what he did was best for their survival knowing his other actions leaves everything tainted with doubt. She looks at Jon his eyes desperate for her to understand and asks “Why?”

Jon realizes the full question she is asking and sighs. He rubs his hand across his face and looks at her. “I...we...I can’t... with everything we experienced together....there is something there.”

His explanation is stiff and lacking to say the least. He is no poet and frankly Arya is glad for it. She realizes she does not want to know the sordid details. 

She waves her hand for him to stop and looks at him, he really is just a man she thinks with disappointment. He childhood fantasies regarding her brother disappearing. 

“ I know what this might seem like..” he begins.

“Sansa” she says interrupting him.

He looks at her with such guilt and anguish that she almost wants to give him a hug. Almost. She sees his hand tremble and sighs. She understands that they are family....he cares...Sansa cares..however...

She shakes her head knowing that nothing good is coming. The Night King will be upon them soon enough and with him death and destruction. Adding to that the knowledge of what Jon has done could lead to a possible revolt in the North and has already led to a strain within her family. It makes her want to take out Needle and poke something, but now is not the time. The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives she thinks.

She looks at Jon and sees the turmoil in his eyes and makes a decision. “First we defeat the Night King and his army. The rest will have to wait until later.”

He looks at her and the hurt is evident in her eyes. _I have lost her trust_ he thinks. Before he can say anything a large cry is heard outside. Jon recognizes the sound.

“What..”

Before Arya could finish Jon rushes to the door and opens it, Davos is in front of the door getting ready to knock.

“I know, she is here” Jon says. 

He walks out the door with Arya following quickly behind him. He hears the cry again as they jostle his way through the people, his people, who are all trying to get outside at the same time. 

“What is that?”  
“Did you hear it?”  
“Are we safe?”

Jon, Davos and Arya finally make it the second landing near the main gate. Arya hears the cry again and looks up and sees it. She has heard the tales all her life, she remembers the stories Old Nan use to tell her. She realizes the stories did not to do it justice.

“That is a dragon” she says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again thank you for all the comments, kudos and the conversations that have started. Keep them coming if you can. Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Game of Throne characters, that honor goes to George R. Martin and probably HBO. I'm just playing in playing in the sand box so do not sue.

Jon looks around and remembers the last time the castle was in this much chaos. It was when Robert Baratheon was coming to Winterfell and that did not end well for anyone. He will not let that happen again he silently promises to himself and to all the others he sees running around preparing for the Queen’s arrival. Per Sansa’s insistence even though they are at war the North will not be seen as a bunch of barbarians. 

_Sansa._

He turns and sees her walk into the courtyard surveying the organized chaos that she facilitated to make sure Winterfell looks its best for the Queen’s arrival while at the same time making sure it is fortified for the upcoming battle. She changed into the dress she made while at Castle Black. Her hair is in a Northern braid, and her posture is like steel.

Her battle armor is on he thinks.

As she is walking two squire boys carrying Stark banners almost run into her, luckily they were quick enough and stopped right before colliding with her. It would do no good for anybody if the Lady of Winterfell ended up in a pile of dirty snow right before the Queen arrived. Both boys stared at her bowing and mumbling apologies. Sansa just looked at then showing no emotion, then her eyes crinkle and a smile forms on her lips. She looks at what the boys are carrying.

“Well luckily your reflexes are quick not only for myself, but especially with what you are carrying.” She bends down towards the two boys and whispers something he cannot hear. They giggle while their eyes become wide and they look around. Sansa then straightens up and says “I certainly don’t want to be the one stopping you from doing your duties. Go on now, just watch where you are going, you certainly don’t want to drop what you are carrying.” 

The two boys bow and quickly leave while holding the banners tighter. Sansa smiles at the boy's retreating forms. She then turns her head and notices Jon looking at her. Her smile immediately falls and her mask returns. They just stand there staring at each other while people come and go around them. Jon would love nothing more to hear Sansa scream at him, to argue with him like the night before the battle with Ramsey. Anything, anything at all, but this coldness. He begins to walk toward her, but before he can take two steps she disappears into the chaos. 

The message is clear, stay away.

He sighs. He knows this his is doing. His actions have led to a wall built by Sansa to keep him out. That along with the strain it has caused between him and the rest of the family makes him almost want to go back to the day he left to Dragonstone. He thinks back to the day he left and wants nothing more than to have them look the way they did with no doubt. To have her look at him like she did that day with...they are brother and sister he reminds himself...they made no promises to each other….they are family...yet....he sighs. He misses her. 

Even though they never did anything improper he misses their conversations they had during their morning meal, at night in his rooms talking about the events of the day, along with what happened to them after they left Winterfell all those years ago. He even misses the tension between them, even though it lessened as time went on. He misses watching her sew while he read the reports of the day. He misses her and he knows it will never be the same again.

He leaves the chaos of the courtyard and heads to the Godswood and find her sitting in the spot father use to occupy. He stops and looks at her knowing she is not praying, but thinking. He takes a step back and hearing the crush of snow she turns and sees him. He takes a chance and steps toward her, she gets up and adjusts her cloak getting ready to leave. 

“Please stay, I did not mean to disturb you, I just came to here to think.” 

“ I will leave you to think, I shouldn’t have stopped any way, there is still much to do.”

“Sansa…”

Before he can say anything else a horn blows, they both look at each other, 

“It is not her, it is still early, and it from the North Gate.”

“More survivors, but how? I thought the Night King’s Army is almost here, there should be none.”

They both rush out of the Godswood and toward the North Gate. Jon notices Tormund and Davos smiling as they arrive. Before he can ask why they are smiling they depart and Jon sees why. 

“Edd!!”

Before him are Dolorous Edd and some other from the Night’s Watch. Jon goes and gives him a hug and hears him grunt. Jon looks at him and notices he is favoring his left side. 

“Excuse my appearance your highness, but it has been a rough couple of weeks.”

“The Maester is on his way.” Davos says 

“Let us get them out of the cold and into the castle. It is good to see you again Lord Commander.” Sansa says

“I am no longer Lord Commander Milady, the Wall is gone and the Night’s Watch is no more.” Edd says with great sadness and guilt. 

“The Wall maybe gone Lord Commander, but as I stand here and see you and your men, in the walls of Winterfell after what probably has been an indescribable few weeks. I think the Night's Watch is alive and well. Now let's get you and your men looked after. I’m sure you are hungry and I can guarantee you, we make a better ale.”

Jon watches the reactions of the others and his heart swells not only for the return of some of his brothers, but for her. 

“How? You should be dead.” Tormund asks after the men have had their second cup of ale and some food. The Maester left earlier after treating and bandaging Edd and the others. 

Edd looked like he aged 100 years since the last time they saw him. “Aye we should be. We knew the Wall was lost, when we saw the ice dragon.”

“Ice Dragon!” Davos explains while the others stare wide eyed with the news. The Night King has a dragon. 

“Viserion” Jon whispers. 

They look at him, but Jon motions for Edd to continue.

“Aye an ice dragon and what comes out of it’s mouth is nothing but white hot fire. Once the wall started crumbling we knew we had only a limited time. We knew we had no chance of winning against the White Walkers or even slowing them down, not with our weapons, not without Dragon Glass or Valerian Steel. So we decided to leave to help those near Castle Black to escape. As you can see not many of us made it.”

“You are the shield that guards the realms of men.” Jon softly says

Edd and the other brothers nod. “A lot of good that did.”

“Lord Commander there are hundreds of people in these walls alive because of what the Night’s Watch did. Your brother’s sacrifices were not in vain.”

Edd gives Sansa a small smile. “Thank you Milady.” He takes a swig of his ale and continues. “We knew we were going to die, there was nothing more we could do, not with our numbers and weapons. So that is when I decided that in order to survive we needed to die, so we did, with the last of the people that were alive far enough away we decided to play dead and watch. When the White Walkers arrived, they did not stop, like they knew nobody would be alive to stop them, so they kept marching. Even the Night King when he flew over on his dragon did not bother to stop, he just raised his arms, and gathered more wights, but he did not look back. He does not believe he can be beaten.”

The silence in the room is deafening. Davos leans forward “You said you decided to play dead and _watch_.”

Edd smiles. “Aye, once we knew there gone, we decided to follow them, like I said they are not looking back, just forward. We have been running parallel with them watching them from a distance. Quietly helping those we can, escape as the army moves forward. When one of their commanders did not return I knew it was time to leave, come to Winterfell to tell you what we have learned and to help defend the North.”

“And what have you learned.”

“They have a pattern.”

Jon leans forward “They have a pattern.”

Edd smiles, “They have a pattern.”

Jon, Tormund, Davos the rest of the Night’s Watch and even Arya smiles. 

Sansa looks at all of them and says “What does that mean?”

“It means we have a chance.” Jon says

Before he can explain further a horn is heard. The Queen has arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, but I could not get rid of the Night's Watch completely. They have been an integral part of the show since episode one. Also I like Edd. :)
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos. It is very much appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Game of Throne characters, that honor goes to George R. Martin and probably HBO. I'm just playing in playing in the sand box so do not sue.

He sees Rhaegal flying around in the distance and he knows he is restless. He feels it. He cannot explain it, but since he first met Daenerys’ Dragons he has felt a connection toward them. He remembers the last time he met Rhaegal, it was the first time he flew on him after being saved by him and Daenerys. He remembers the events, the physical pain he suffered, along with the emotional pain of loss the he and Daenerys both felt. 

So many emotions.

He flashes to the cabin, so many emotions... _her skin, her taste, the way she moved, the way she moaned when he_.... He hears Rhaegal cry and is brought back to the present. It all seemed like a dream. Yet seeing Rhaegal flying a distance away and Arya standing next to him looking at the empty space between them where Sansa should be he knows it is not. 

Arya is wearing Needle, he wonders if she intends to use it, with how she is looking around for Sansa she might use it on him. The Dragon Queen’s party is almost at the gate and Sansa is nowhere to be found. 

“Where is she?”

“The last time I saw her was when we were all with Edd.”

“She would not be late for this…”

Before she can continue Sansa and a more cleaned up Dolorous Edd come walking toward them. Edd is wearing a new tunic, with his black cloak looking a lot less disheveled and his face is nicely scrubbed.

How does she do that? Arya wonders.

Sansa comes and stands between Arya and Jon. Looking at Arya her question unspoken on her face. “Royalty is coming, the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch should be presentable as well as present to greet her” Sansa says.

Jon smiles besides her with gratitude in his eyes, she doesn’t see it. Arya nods, the Night’s Watch deserves the respect that it has not gotten in awhile. 

The sound of the gates opening causes everybody to turn their heads. Jon remembers the last time he saw Daenerys. The intimacy of it while dozens of people milled around them, preparing for Jon’s departure. Even though they did not touch Jon still remembers the way her lips moved, the way her eyes danced while talking to him, even though it looked very diplomatic two rulers saying goodbye to each other after a hard battle the looks between Davos and Tyrion and the looks they gave their respective King and Queen said otherwise. They knew and wondered what good will come of this. Especially Davos. 

He remembers what Davos muttered not knowing that Jon, even though the waves were crashing around them, could hear him. “Lust is not love.” He did not let Davos know that he heard his thoughts, however looking at Sansa he understands its meeting far better than did he ever did before. Lust is not love, he knows the difference. He sees Arya looking at him, her eyes telling him what he already knew, he was a fool. 

The first of the horses past through the gates carrying the Dothraki. Followed by some of the Unsullied. Jon sees Tyrion followed closely by Daenerys. The site of her with her silver hair and foreign looking army causes murmurs from the crowd gathered to see the Dragon Queen’s arrival. Sansa shifts a little her face showing no emotion.

Tyions dismounts first and goes over to Jon and both men clasp hands. “It is good to see you again your Highness.”

“As I you, I hope the journey was not to difficult.”

“Nothing that some wine won’t fix.”

Jon smiles and sees Tyrion’s attention shift to Sansa. “Lady Sansa it is very good to see you again and back where you rightfully belong.”

“Lord Tyrion I am glad to see that you are well.”

He moves closer to Sansa. “ I am glad to see that I was right, that you survived us and King’s Landing.” He sees Sansa’s eyes grow cold and knows that her survival did not come without a price and that she is no longer that young girl he tried to protect all those moons ago. 

Sansa then gives him a small smile. “From what I can see and what I have heard it seems we both survived King’s Landing. Although I have a strong suspicion that you might still have a list of those requiring sheep dung.”

Tyrion gives a laugh and takes Sansa’s hand and says “ I think you are right.” With relief in his eyes he gives Sansa’s hand a pat and a squeeze. They both look at each other with understanding, knowing that they are the only ones who really know and understand what they went through at the hands of Joffrey, Cersai and the others and what they had to do in order to survive. 

Tyrion senses a shift behind him, sees all eyes are on them. He releases Sansa’s hand with a small smile and a bow and turns. Daenerys and the others have dismounted. Tyrion moves toward them as Daenerys steps forward as does Jon.

“ It is good to see you again your Highness. I hope the trip was not unpleasant.”

“It was not thank you. It is good to see you as well.” Her eyes dancing and small smile playing on her lips. Jon returns the smile, but it is much more contained and she notices. 

“May I introduce to you my sisters and brother. “Lady Sansa, Arya and Bran.” Sansa curtseys while Arya and Bran bow their heads. 

“Welcome to Winterfell your Grace.” Sansa says with a practiced ease her face adorning a practiced smile that she perfected over the years. 

“Lady Sansa I have been told a lot about you. It is nice to finally meet you.”

Sansa looks at both Jon and Tyrion, but before she can respond Arya interrupts. “That is interesting since we have barely been told anything about you.”

Daenerys looks at Arya wide eye, but before anything can be said Tyrion interrupts. “May I make a suggestion, it is awfully cold out here, why don’t we go inside and make the rest of the introductions as well as discuss the reason why we are here, the White Walkers.”

Jon nods and motions for everyone to enter the Hall. As Daenerys and her party enter Jon gives Arya a look, which she promptly returns.

Behind them Davos shakes his head, sensing this alliance may not go as smoothly as they hoped when they first departed Daenerys to go back to Winterfell.

“We arrived not too long before you, your Highness.” Edd finishes telling the story of how he and the rest of what is left of the Night’s Watch survived and the fall of the Wall. Food and drink having already been consumed, there were now planning on how to defeat the Night King’s Army. After hearing Edd’s story the room grew quiet. 

Daenerys looks sick, her eyes watery. “Viserion” she whispers. The rest of her party looks at their Queen heartbroken. Jon takes her hand in his, the sorrow in his eyes matching hers, 

“ I’m sorry” he says. 

“He was my child, I raised him.”

“I know, but understand it is no longer Viserion, he is gone, it is something else now. “

Daenerys looks at Jon, pulls her hand away and nods her head. She will continue to mourn for her child, but right now they are at war. 

“Thank you for the information Commander, you said there was a pattern. Can we use this to our advantage.”

As the others start talking, start strategizing Arya looks around. She sees the woman who rode next to Daenerys sit in the corner listening. Daenerys calls her Missandei, a friend and one of her closest advisors. 

Next to her is a man introduced as Grey Worm, part of a group called the Unsullied. Arya looks him over, I can take him she thinks.

Her eyes move over to an older gentlemen, Jorah Mormont, she heard the stories about his disgrace, but now he is one of the Dragon Queen’s advisors. She wonders if he is going to visit his old home or even meet his cousin, the current Lady of Bear Island. Considering how he keeps looking at his ‘Khaleesi’ she doubts he will unless he is ordered to. She has a feeling if he did, Lyanna would let him know a few things before she let him set foot on the island. 

Arya moves to Tyrion Lannister, by default he should be dead after what his family did to the Starks, but being the Hand to the Dragon Queen along what Sansa and Jon having told her about him, he has gained a reprieve for now. As she sees all the advisors and the two leaders hovering over a map talking strategy she notices Jon’s eyes flicker toward Sansa who chose to sit in another corner listening and looking at all of the Dragon Queen’s party just like Arya. She notices Sanasa give particular attention to the Dragon Queen herself. With her porcelain skin and silver hair, she is a beauty Arya admits and the way she saw some of the Northern men look at her when she entered the castle she knows that others feel the same way. Yet when she looks at Sansa she notices a flash of pain in her eyes It only lasts a second before her mask fully sets again, but it is enough time for Arya to see and to understand, she wonders if Jon truly understands.

Even though she did not see Sansa’s face when Jon held Danerys hand, her sister chose to stand and look out the window at that particular moment, she knows there was pain there and as she looks at Jon she wonders if her sister sees the pain in his eyes when he looks at her. She also wonders if Daenerys sees it to. 

As the sun starts to do down a plan has been put into place. A lot of good it will do when the actual battle commences, that is usually the case when a battle starts, plans dissolve, but for now they have a plan. 

As everyone breaks into small groups Sansa looks out of window watching Rhaegal at a distance. She feels him behind her. “How long do we have?”

“Not long, I’m afraid. We will begin to move the people from Winterfell tomorrow at first light. Hopefully we will get enough of them safely away before the fighting begins.

She turns around and finds Jon looking at her. “Those who are left they will fight, you know that, they are Northerners after all.”

“I know.”

They stare at each other both wanting to say something, but unsure of what, Sansa looks behind Jon and notices Daenarys looking at them. “I have to go see to our other guests and make sure they are all ready to leave at first light.” With that she bows and sweeps past Jon and leaves quietly through one of the side doors. 

Jon closes his eyes briefly before turning back to the others. He sees Daenerys giving him a small smile and walks over to her, Missandei excuses herself to speak to Tyrion and Davos. “Is everything alright?”

“Considering we are at war and about go into battle against an Army of the Undead, everything is not alright.”

“I meant…”

“Forgive me, I know what you meant, I should be asking you that question. I am sorry about Viserion.”

Danerys’ lips quiver for a second before her eyes almost seem to light up with fire. “Thank you, it is hard to think of any child that way, but I will take my vengeance against the Night King and his army for what they have done.”

Jon looks at her and know she means it. Fire and Blood Jon thinks. 

“I also like to thank you for not demanding that we all bend the knee when you arrived. You had every right to since I did pledge the North to you, but right now the North cannot be divided, as you heard from Edd we all need to be united to face the upcoming storm.”

“I will admit that when I first heard your request I was against it, I would usually not have agreed to this arrangement, but Tyrion and Jorah explained to me how the Northern people think and your sister Sansa’s raven to my Hand made me realize that this is the best course of action for now. Seems your sister can be quite persuasive.” Daenerys then looks at the side door. “Is everything alright with your sister. The conversation you two seemed to be having looked…..I wasn’t trying to pry.”

“Sansa is concerned about the Northerners who are staying in Winterfell as am I. As we discussed she is preparing for them to leave to go South. They can’t stay here, we won’t be able to protect them all.” 

Daenerys looks at Jon and nods in understanding. “Your family is not what I expected.” 

“What were you expecting?”

“I’m not sure, more like you.” 

“Like me?”

“Quiet, sullen” she says teasingly.

Jon gives her a small smile.”I assure you we are very different, but at the same time very much the same.”

“How?”

Before Jon can answer Tyrion interrupts “ Excuse the interruption, but we should be leaving the sun is almost gone and it would be better if we are already at the camp before the night gets colder.”

“Your grace excuse us for not being being able to house you and your people during this time, but as I explained earlier the castle is full.”

“No need to explain, I understand the situation, the health and safety of the people come first as it should be.”

Jon gives a grateful smile as Daenerys gives Tyrion a look. 

“Ah well let me finish my wine and make sure everybody is ready for our departure.”

As Tyrion leaves Daenarys moves closer to Jon. “Have dinner with me tonight” she whispers. 

Jon looks at Daenarys and she is surprised to see not excitement as she expected, but regret. “I can’t” he whispers.

Before he can explain further, Sansa walks in and immediately sees Jon and Daenerys standing so close together there is barely any space between them. Sansa who has had years of practice shows no emotion as Jon instantly takes a small step back. The action is not noticed by many, but it is noticed by Tyrion, Davos and especially Daenarys.

“I have informed our other guests about their departure. They will be ready at first light.”

“Thank you Lady Sansa. Your Highness I think it is best if we all get ready since it seems time is limited,” Tyrion says.

While the others start to leave, Tyrion notices Daenarys eyeing Jon and Sansa. He looks at Sansa, but her face shows nothing, but a polite smile, something she perfected at King's Landing no doubt. He looks at Jon who escorts the Queen out the door and sees a flash of something in his eyes and it is not lust or love. He looks at Davos and what he finds on the Onion Knight’s face is concerning to say the least.

As Tyrion follows Sansa out the door he wonders how much wine is at the camp, a familiar feeling is growing inside him and he does not like it, he needs to think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! Best Wishes to everyone! Now that everybody is at Winterfell the "fun" begins.


	8. Chapter 8

_Lyanna in a bed full of blood._  
_A baby placed in Father’s arms._  
_Father making a promise._  
_Father bringing the baby to Winterfell._  
_Bannerman in the Great Hall yelling “King in the North”._  
_A large man surrounded by books looking both shocked and excited._  
_The same man with a woman and a baby riding North._  
_The Night King looking at him._

Bran pulls his hand away from the Heart Tree. 

Soon he thinks. 

He lays against the tree, helpless, defenseless, or so it would seem to most. A young man with no use of his legs, a cripple, would usually not last long in this world highborn or not, but he is no ordinary man. He is the Three Eyed Raven and he is still learning what that truly means. 

He lifts himself from the tree and waves the guard away who started to come to assist him. He struggles across to where his chair waits, it is a sad sight, a man dragging himself across the snow, but he does not care, he needs the movement, the activity, his mind should not be the only part of his body always in motion. As he gets closer to the chair a pair of boots block his way.

“Move Arya.”

She bends down and looks at Bran. “We need to talk.” She then goes around him and begins to lift him. 

“I don’t want help.”

“I understand that, but we need to talk. Also I hate to see you struggling” she says softly while helping Bran in his chair.

Bran looks at Arya and understands. “ We have all struggled.”

“You would know wouldn’t you.”

“Arya…”

“We need to talk about….”

“Ayra I am not having this discussion with you.”

“And what discussion is that? The one about The Night King and the upcoming battle, the one about Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons, because you were not all that surprised when she showed up.”

“Jon told us she was coming.”

“You know what I mean. Flying dragons at Winterfell and you didn’t raise an eyebrow.”

“Arya…”

“You saw them didn’t you? In one of your visions or something.”

“ You don’t understand.”

“No, I don’t understand, not completely. All I know is that my little brother calls himself the Three Eyed Crow...”

“Raven.”

“The Three Eyed Raven and can see things and do things that seem to come from those stories Old Nan use to tell us.”

“ The stories are true Arya and I can’t tell you everything.”

“How about something? Jon and Sansa are...”

“Arya believe me when I say that things are in motion that cannot be stopped. I understand you want to protect our family, so do I. That is all any of us have wanted since we reunited, but trying to force things or change things before its time can lead to more harm than good. Actions create chaos. Everything is connected. Trust me when I say all things will be revealed in time.”

Arya looks at him not quite understanding. “When.”

“Soon.”

Arya looks into Bran’s eyes and realizes that there is no point in discussing this further. He won’t answer. Her questions will have to wait. Except one.

“The Night King?”

“Soon” he says in a tone that makes Arya shiver and she knows it is not because of the cold.

\---------------

Sansa helps one of the little girls finish packing what little possessions she had for the trip South. She looks around surveying the progress. She sees their faces and notices they all have the same expression, one of fear. They all wonder if they will ever come back to the North, of they will survive the Winter? The same question she asks herself. She moves out of the hall and walks the castle grounds watching the men get prepared. As she climbs the second level she notices some of the Dothraki and Unsullied have stayed behind to assist with the fortification of not only the castle, but the surrounding areas. The Dragon Queen’s thoughtfulness no doubt. They are after all allies now.

Sansa thinks back to the war council meeting how all eyes were on the Dragon Queen. The stories she heard seem to be true, she is beautiful and from what Sansa can tell compassionate, wanting to do right by her subjects, but you can sense the dragon in her. A few of her suggestions while deadly to the wights also could lead to devastating consequences in the North. Luckily Tyrion seemed to give better alternative suggestions that the Queen along with the rest of the counsel seemed to agree upon. He does his job well as her Hand she thinks. Without Tyrion she suspects a portion of the Seven Kingdoms might be in nothing but ruins. She barely looked at Jon during the meeting. She was afraid to see what she would find if she looked at his face. She had to admit they did look beautiful together. Yet the few times she did look at him he was not just looking at the Dragon Queen, but also at the other counsels and the maps. He was being a King thinking strategies to help best protect the North from the upcoming battle and she was proud. Jon would do anything to protect his people.

However when Jon took her hand after Edd finished giving his report it was too much. She knew he was consoling her over the loss of her dragon she saw the sadness in the eyes of her advisors and understood the pain was real for the Dragon Queen, but it was to much for Sansa. She listened to the rest of the meeting while looking out the window watching one of Daenerys's dragons fly. She remembers the stories that Old Nan use to tell her about dragons and princes. Looking at the dragon up in the sky she wonders how much Old Nan really knew and if she was trying to warn us to what was coming. A cold wind blows through bringing Sansa back to the present. 

“You shouldn’t be here.” 

She turns to see him looking at her with concern. How long has he been standing there? “It is getting colder out here. You should be inside where it is warm.”

“So should you.”

“I was checking on the men and the battlements to make sure everything is secure.”

“So was I.” She turns back and looks at the Dothraki and the Unsullied once more. “I see our new allies are helping with fortification of the castle.”

Jon moves to stand next to her. While looking down to what she sees. “Daenery offered assistance and I thought it would be best to accept. The faster everything is completed the better, We don’t have a lot of time.”

Sansa nods. _Daenerys_ she thinks. She pushes the pain down, ignoring the feeling in her heart. She looks at Jon about to give her leave and is surprised to see a look of sadness on his face. 

Not realizing it she whispers “Jon.” 

He turns to her, his eyes looking so sad. “ I never meant to hurt you.” 

Her breath hitches and she begins to step away, but he softly grabs her elbow. “Please stay. Let me say this.” 

Sansa puts her head down, closes her eyes and shakes her head. “There is nothing to say” she whispers. She again begins to step away, but the hand on her elbow tightens. Sansa looks at Jon about to remind him of his place and her mask falters. She has never seen him look so pained. At that moment all Sansa wants to do is hold him and tell him everything is going to be okay, but she knows she cannot, instead she takes a deep breath and nods. 

Jon releases the breath he was holding and releases her elbow. 

She waits.

“Kidney pies with peas and onions, lemon cakes, our late night discussions over ale. Our arguments. Our agreements. Watching you struggle with a piece of fabric while I struggled with a request from one of the bannerman. Those are a few of the things that I thought of when I was away from here, from you.” 

Sansa’s struggles to keep her composure, but the look in his eyes and the softness of his voice is making it difficult for her. She closes her eyes and shakes her head. “ You...” 

“I bent the knee, I slept with the Dragon Queen.” 

Sansa stiffens and steps away. “You don’t need to tell me..” 

“I do!” He takes a deep breath and softly says “I do. I promised you that I would protect you and I have hurt you. I told you once that we have to trust each other and I have lost your trust.” 

Jon says a silent prayer and continues. 

“When I went to Dragonstone and meant Dany...Daenerys we felt..I felt a connection to her a familiarity in a sense. I saw how she ruled, how she does not want to rule Westeros how it was run in the past. I saw her compassion towards her people and wanting to do good for them. She understood my desire to protect the North from the White Walkers because she wants the same for the Seven Kingdoms. I also saw her make some difficult decisions and I understood them. It can be lonely being a leader” he says softly. 

He notices that Sansa has taken a step back, but he knows he needs to continue. “I have also seen her anger. The fire and blood of a Targaryen is a dangerous thing especially when one has dragons. I have told you everything that has happened since I left Winterfell, about the wight hunt and the losses. That night was full of so many emotions, so much has happened that…” Sansa shakes her head and turns to leave, Jon grabs her elbow. 

“You are hurting me” she cries. 

“I’m not telling you this to hurt you anymore than I have I am telling you this because I need you to trust me again. I am telling you this because I need you to understand what I feel for you is not the same thing I feel for Daenerys.” 

“I don’t need to know what you feel for the Dragon Queen!” 

“Yes you do!”

He takes her face in his hands and softly says “Yes you do. I’m never been very good with words, especially now, but Sansa….” 

Sansa stares directly into Jon’s eyes and sees it, not quite believing it. Without even thinking without even realizing, her hand comes up and her fingers lightly touch his lips. Jon closes his eyes savoring her touch. Her hand then moves from his lips to cup his cheek enjoying the feel of his beard under her skin, she then moves her hand to lay on his chest where her other hand was waiting right above his heart. Sansa closes her eyes still not quite believing as their foreheads touch, neither of them move until a gust of wind causes Sansa’s hood to fall. The cold wind hitting her causes Sansa to remember who is she is, where she is, _what Jon has done_ and the reality of the situation. 

Swallowing a sob, she pulls away, stepping out of his reach, the loss of Jon’s warmth hitting her more than the cold. She uses the time while adjusting her hood to compose herself. Wiping away the unshed tears that are threatening to fall. “Jon....you telling me this does not change what has been done or our situation .” 

“I know” he whispers. 

Before anything else can be said another stronger even colder wind blows through the castle. 

Sansa winces as the cold wind passes through her like daggers. Once again reminding her of the real threat coming. “Its getting worse.” 

“He is getting closer.” 

“How much time?” 

Jon looks to the sky noticing the storm clouds approaching, “Soon.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note thank you to everybody reading. You will never know how much I greatly appreciate it.


	9. Chapter 9

Tyrion Lannister does not like the cold.

The last time he was this cold was when was at the Wall and he did not like it then either. He pours himself another cup of wine as the wind whistles harder outside and the tent openings flap harder. If this gets any worse he wonders if the tent will hold. As he moves his chair closer the fire he contemplates the events of the day and all that happened and did not happen. As expected the bending of the knee did not happen, convincing Daenarys to wait took some convincing as she wanted her reign of the Seven Kingdoms to be complete and known to all the realm, but the people of the North are a particular breed and even though their King did bend the knee and if Tyrion was going to be honest with himself it was the right call to make considering he has seen the damage dragons can do, but from what he understood from the ravens he received from the King and Sansa the North was finally united and the White Walkers were close. If the North found out their King bent the knee a civil war would have broken out and with the Night King’s Army so close it would have been detrimental to Westeros as a whole. After speaking to Jorah they both agreed that the announcement regarding the North would need to be put on hold until the war was finished, convincing Daenerys of that took some time, but he thinks the raven she received from Jon helped with her decision. He sighs as he pours himself another cup.

_Jon._

When he first heard that the Starks had regained their ancestral home he was surprised, he was even more to hear that the North once again had a King and that King was none other than Jon Snow. The last time Tyrion saw Jon was at the Wall all those years ago. When a young Jon wanted nothing more than to become a man of the Night’s Watch. When he stepped off his boat at Dragonstone that young man was no more. Instead there was a hardened warrior whose experienced life and all its cruelties. He was not sure what to expect from Jon, but he was not expecting to hear about White Walkers or the Night King. He also was not expecting to see Daenerys and Jon get along so well. At first it was tense, with Daenerys expecting Jon to bend the knee immediately and Jon refusing, but as time went on a softness seemed to occur between the two. To be honest he never saw his Queen so unnerved by a man before, however Jon seemed to have that effect on her and from what he can tell she affected him as well. 

When they returned after the battle with the Wights during the hunt and the loss Viserion he knew something had changed between the two. Even though they tried to be respectable when around others. Tyrion saw the looks they gave one another, he has seen those looks at court, he has given those looks. At first he was thrilled, the Queen had finally reclaimed her rightful place on the throne and found a good match in Jon Snow aligning both the North and South. 

Or so he thought.

When they returned from the hunt Tyrion noticed that Davos too saw the changes in their respective King and Queen and the look of concern on the Onion Knight did not go unnoticed. Tyrion assumed it was because Jon informed them that he bent the knee. A move which would surely upset the North once it was announced. Now Tyrion realized that was not the only reason for his concern. He thinks back to the events of today, more specifically the actions or more like inactions of the King in the North. Tyrion has spent most of his life in court observing, listening and doing what was needed to be done. It was his duty to know the goings on in court and if he himself did not observe the goings on of the those in court his dear friend Varys would assist him with the observances. He did not need Varys or his little birds to know that the King in the North’s feelings have changed toward the Queen or maybe they didn’t, maybe they weren’t what Tyrion thought they were to begin with.

He saw the way Jon looked at Sansa during the council meeting, he had seen that look before...from his brother Jaime. 

He sighs into his cup, there is a fine line between love and lust he thinks.

One of the guards enter his tent. “ The Queen requests your presence.”

As expected Tyrion thinks. Without turning he lets the guard know he will be there shortly. He then closes his eyes and finishes his cup of wine. His face is one of resignation. He knows that the Queen is not just summoning him to go over the details discussed at the war council meeting today, but all the events and observations from today. He sighs as he gets up from his chair and straightens his tunic. As he walks out of his tent the wind instantly becomes louder and the temperature has definitely dropped since they left the castle walls. Tyrion is reminded it will not matter what the outcome is for Queen Daenerys and the King in the North if the Night King is not defeated.

As Lady Sansa reminded them earlier today Winter is here. 

She remembers the first time she saw him at Dragonstone. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it was certainly not him. A man who did not care about the Iron Throne or who sat on it, he was more concerned about the upcoming storm that was happening just beyond the wall. She never heard of the White Walkers or the Night King until him. He came to her not to bend the knee, but to ask her for her help, she had two things he needed, dragonglass which was abundant in Dragonstone and her army which included her dragons of course. As he explained her desire to rule the Seven Kingdoms would be pointless if the Night King’s Army managed to get through the wall . He told her of all he has seen and explained that they needed to join together in order to have a chance in defeating the Walkers or they all would be dead or worse.

Winter is here he said.

She was also not expecting to feel the magnetic pull towards him when he first saw him and the way he looked at her, he felt the same. As the weeks went on they got to know each other better and she realized she found a kindred spirit in the King in the North. They both understood the feeling of loneliness and isolation having experienced it almost their whole lives, but also understanding that same feeling comes with being in command. They both experienced love and the pain of losing it. The more experienced they share the closer she felt to him. Which explained her apprehension of him leaving with Jorah and the others for the wight hunt. 

She fills her cup with some wine, fighting back the tears they threaten to fall when she thinks of her child. 

The hunt was a disaster, so many lives lost including that of Viserion. Maybe if she went with them from the beginning that outcome might have been different she might have lost one of her children . As the wind howls outside and her tent sways she thinks back to the time on the boat. So many things had happened, so many feelings at the surface. 

She did not expect him to bend the knee after his initial refusal, so she was surprised that he did, she understood why, at least she believes she does, but she was still surprised. They both has lost so much. What came after was unexpected or was it? They were attracted to each other practically from the beginning and if Daenerys was honest with herself she had not felt that level of passion since Drogo. The _way he touched, the way he moved, the way he made her feel during_...it was something she hadn’t realized she missed until now. It wasn’t until he was about to leave to go back to Winterfell that she felt something different from him. Even though he smiled and said all the right things she noticed that his eyes while still caring and gentle also showed sadness. At first she thought he was sad to leave her, but after today she knows she was mistaken. 

Her tent flaps opens and Tyrion enters looking chilled to the bone. Even though their tents are right next to each other the cold wind and the snow makes even the closest destination difficult. She hands him a cup of wine which he gratefully accepts. 

“So what did you think of the council meeting?”

Tyrion looks at her while drinking his wine knowing he has to be careful in what he says next. “ I think it was productive. We got to know all the players as well as come up with a plan. Even though we both know plans tend to disappear when battle commences.”

“We have enough forces.”

“Yes we have, however I am concerned about the Dothraki.”

“What is wrong with them? They can handle themselves well in battle.” 

“I am not disputing that your Grace, however they are not use to these conditions. They are use to much warmer climates, they never even crossed the sea until recently. I am worried about how they will handle the upcoming battles in this weather. It is growing colder by the second and they a not use to it or dressed for it.”

Daenerys looks at her hand and knows he is right. Even though the Dothraki hold a special place in her heart because of Drogo she knows they are a proud race and would not complain about the cold wind, snow and ice surrounding them, but they need every man well to fight. “See if our Northern friends are willing to provide us with additional furs as well as ask those in camp if they have any clothes to spare. We need our men to fight not fall to sickness or worse fall in the battlefield because they are not accustomed to this weather.”

“Yes your Grace.”

“What do you think of the Northerns?”

Tyrion slowly pours himself another cup of wine. He understand the questions behind it. “They are as I remember them, strong, fierce when need be, and loyal sometimes to a fault.”

She waits expecting more. 

Tyrion looks at her and says “What is it you want to know?

“The Starks.”

“Ned Stark was a good honorable man , he had no place in King’s Landing. Caitlin his wife was fierce and would do anything for her family and I admired her. Their children...Robb was a good man just in over his head, Bran was still a child when..” Tyion sighs. “The King didn’t talk to you about them?”

“He did, yet...” Daenerys thinks back and realizes the he never really spoke about Sansa. Except to let them know she was overseeing Winterfell in his absence.

She looks at Tyrion and sees him trying to keep a neutral expression.

“You were married to Sansa tell me about her?”

“We were married very briefly and she was a very young then. A lot has happened since then.”

“Yet she was your wife, you must know something.”

Tyrion takes another sip before looking at Daenerys. “She... I feel she might survive us all.”

As the wind roars louder, nothing else is said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to give a little point of view from the "South" since mostly this story has been from the point of view of the Starks and the North in general. 
> 
> Once again thank you for taking the time to read, to comment and the kudos.


	10. Chapter 10

Ed finds him where Sansa left him the night before looking out to the horizon. It reminds Ed of their time at Castle Black guarding the North from those beyond the Wall. When the only things you had to worry about was keeping warm and Wildings. 

The man might not be wearing a crown at this moment, but Ed can see that he is troubled and has much on his mind. It was easier being Lord Commander Ed thinks, knowing all the pain being in command caused Jon. 

“This reminds me of guard duty on top of the Wall.”

Jon smiles and turns his head toward Ed. “Aye, but at least the accommodations are much more comfortable.”

“Yeah, better ale.”

Jon chuckles.

“Have you been out here all night?”

Jon nods. “ I had things to think about. It’s easier to think out here.” 

Ed looks out and sees nothing but snow. “He is getting closer.”

“Aye, a scouting party came back and reported nothing out there.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing. They could not find a single person or animal alive or dead. Everything thing has either scattered away or ……”

Jon did not need to finish, they both knew what happens to the dead. 

Ed moves to look at the other side and notices movement in the Dragon’s Queen camp. Further up he sees two dragons flying above. Even after seeing the Knight King’s ice dragon and the destruction it did he is still amazed at seeing them. 

“Well it’s a good thing you were able to convince the Queen to join the fight. Those two up there will come in handy along with the dragon glass she brought.”

At the mention of the Dragon Queen Jon’s posture changes just slightly, an ordinary person would not have noticed, but Ed has known Jon for awhile now and notices. Just like he noticed the way he acted around the Dragon Queen during the council meeting or the way the Dragon Queen looked and spoke to him when she thought no one was watching or the way Lady Sansa did not show a single expression, the only movement by her was when she went to look out the window. Yes he noticed and he knows he was not the only who did if the imp and Davos’ faces were any indication. 

“The Dragon Queen really? Jon continues to look to the North. “We cannot afford to have an internal war when death is almost upon us.”

“There won’t be!” Jon turns and looks at Ed. “We all know what is at stake! We need to work together or none of will survive to see the Spring.” 

‘What are you going to do?” 

“I don’t know.” he whispers

“Things were easier at Castle Black. Sure we had to deal with horrible food, bad ale, Thorne, the constant cold, Sam talking about Gilly or something he read…”

“Sam...”

“Don’t tell him, but I miss his constant babbling about…”

“No Sam is here.” Jon points to a wagon coming down quickly from the King’s Road with Sam in front. “Open the gate!”

Jon and Ed go down to the main gate and wait for Same to arrive. 

“I thought he was in Old Town.”

“He was. Something must have happen.”

Before Jon can say anything further Sam’s wagon comes racing causing Jon and some of the guards to grab the reigns to help stop the horse. “Woah there! Woah! Alright then we made it. See Gilly I told you we would.”

Gilly pops up from the back holding Little Sam. “Next time, let me manage the horse.”

Sam then sees Jon and gets off the wagon. “Jon..I mean your grace.” Sam begins to bow, but before he can, Jon grabs him into a hug.

“It’s good to see you old friend, but you shouldn’t be here. We are about to evacuate people to the South, before the Night King arrives.”

“That is why I have come Jon, your highness, I found something, something that can help with this fight, but…”

“Well we need all the help we can get.” Ed says while helping Gily and Little Sam off the wagon. 

“Ed! What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at the Wall?”

“There is no Wall.’ Jon whispers

“What?!”

“The Night King….the Wall has fallen.” Ed says

Sam looks at the solomon faces of his brothers and sees the truth.

“Castle Black...our brothers, but we can avenge their deaths, you found something in the Citadel haven’t you?”

“Yes, but Jon it affects…”

“What is going on?” Arya arrives, her eyes quickly surveying the newcomers, sensing no danger from them.

“Sam I would like you to meet my sister Arya. Arya this is Sam one of my brothers from the Night’s Watch and a good friend.”

“Arya it is so good to meet you. Jon use to talk about you all the time at Castle Black.”

Arya smiles and takes his hand as her eyes slide to Gilly and the baby. 

“Oh and this is Gilly and Little Sam.”

“It is nice to meet you all, but this it’s not the best time for visitors.”

“We are not visitors. We are here to help.”

Arya looks at Sam and then Jon yet before she can say anything Sansa arrives looking at the group with curiosity. 

“More refugees?”

“No, this is Sam, one of my brothers from the Night Watch. And this is Gilly.”

“There are more survivors from the Wall?!”

“No, he was at the Citadel and he has come to help.” 

“Well we need all the help we can get. It is nice to meet you all.” Little Sam starts to fuss. “You all must be tired and hungry from your journey, unfortunately we are about to move people further South away from what is coming, but I think we can find something in the kitchen.” Sansa smiles at Gilly and the baby as she motions for them to follow her. She looks at Sam but Jon stops him from going. “Can you have some food sent to the War Room? Sam and I have much to discuss.”

Sansa looks curiously at Sam who looks uncomfortable. “Alright, but remember we don’t have much time to evacuate the people to the South.”

“I know.” Jon looks to the sky “I know.”

As they walk toward the kitchen Jon turns to Sam. “ What have you found out?”

Same looks at Arya and Ed. “We need to talk alone.”

Despite Arya’s protests Sam and Jon enter the War Room alone. Sam automatically starts pulling out scrolls and books out of his sack, while talking excitedly. “ It all started when Gilly was reading this book you see…then I met Jorah Mormont the Lord Commander’s son….then I had to copy all these scrolls…..”

Sam is talking so quickly that Jon could not keep up. “Sam slow down, what have you found.” 

Sam takes a deep breath and extends a scroll to Jon. He would have preferred to this another way with a little more caution and a lot more preparation, but he saw the skies outside, he has seen them look like that before at the Fist of the First Men. When the army of the dead past him by, there was no more time. 

“Eddard Stark is not your father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but real life got in the way. Thank you for reading and the comments even during the delay.

**Author's Note:**

> Would love to hear what you guys thought. :)


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